Тонкое искусство пофигизма

           Infact,itwasusuallytheopposite.Someoftheworstcriminalsfeltprettydamngoodaboutthemselves.Anditwasthisfeelinggoodaboutthemselvesinspiteoftherealityaroundthemthatgavethemthesenseofjustificationforhurtinganddisrespectingothers.

           Forindividualstofeeljustifiedindoinghorriblethingstootherpeople,theymustfeelanunwaveringcertaintyintheirownrighteousness,intheirownbeliefsanddeservedness.Racistsdoracistthingsbecausethey’recertainabouttheirgeneticsuperiority.Religiousfanaticsblowthemselvesupandmurderdozensofpeoplebecausethey’recertainoftheirplaceinheavenasmartyrs.Menrapeandabusewomenoutoftheircertaintythatthey’reentitledtowomen’sbodies.

           Evilpeopleneverbelievethattheyareevil;rather,theybelievethateveryoneelseisevil.

           Incontroversialexperiments,nowsimplyknownastheMilgramExperiments,namedforthepsychologistStanleyMilgram,researcherstold“normal”peoplethattheyweretopunishothervolunteersforbreakingvariousrules.Andpunishthemtheydid,sometimesescalatingthepunishmenttothepointofphysicalabuse.Almostnoneofthepunishersobjectedoraskedforexplanation.Onthecontrary,manyofthemseemedtorelishthecertaintyofthemoralrighteousnessbestoweduponthembytheexperiments.

           Theproblemhereisthatnotonlyiscertaintyunattainable,butthepursuitofcertaintyoftenbreedsmore(andworse)insecurity.